The year is 2019, and your local theater is packed with people. You collectively hover on the edge of your seats in heart-pounding tandem. Two hundred collective pairs of eyes are glued to Tony Stark, who raises his fist with the coveted infinity gauntlet. A snap of his fingers, and the crowd hangs on to the last climactic moments of arguably the greatest Marvel film ever made. While this snap brought life to billions in the movie, it symbolized the soon-to-be death of Marvel’s movie magic.

Whether you’re a Marvel buff who knows the comics inside-out or you  can’t articulate who wields the shield and who uses the hammer, it’s clear to most that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is on the decline.

Metascore is a weighted average of critic reviews for film. A score above 70 indicates a successful, well-received film. “Avengers: Endgame” and “Black Panther,” released at the franchises’ peak, achieved impressive scores of 78 and 88.

In stark contrast, MCU’s most recent film, “Captain America: Brave New World,” received a score of 42. This is the lowest Metascore in MCU history. So, what are the leading causes for these box office bombs?

 

Multiverse of Mad Fans

Maximus De Leone Valle, a sophomore majoring in motion picture business and political economics, serves as the philanthropy chair for the University of Miami’s cinematic arts society, Delta Kappa Alpha. 

“I feel like the story quality has gone down tremendously because they’re focusing only on the multiverse,” said Valle in regards to the MCU universe. 

The MCU’s multiverse was officially introduced with the “Wandavision” series in 2021. What was once an enticing concept to fans now elicits a groan from those who want to enjoy a Marvel film with actual stakes. Alternate timelines are cool, which the multiverse permits, but as films lose their meaning and exist purely to set up the next installment, people lose interest.

Junior Sophie Hudson, an avid Marvel enthusiast majoring in marine biology and ecology, spoke on the changes she’s seen within the MCU.  “”They’ve started to abandon that whole idea of ‘let’s make a very interconnected universe,’” said Hudson. “(They) are replacing it with ‘just how much can we pay Robert Downey Jr. to do more stuff?’”

Downey Jr.’s planned return to the franchise as Doctor Doom in 2026 is generally well-received by fans, and how could it not be? As Iron Man, Downey Jr. was the face of Marvel for over a decade.

However, fans have stipulations on how his return should be executed.

“If he’s just a variant from another multiverse, that’s not original. I think that’s something that a kid could come up with,” Valle said.

The upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” is set to release in 2026. Hopefully, its conception of the multiverse will excite rather than disappoint fans. 

 

Quantity over Quality

Many suggest that Marvel’s contending issue is their prioritization of quantity over quality.

“That there’s this insistence to get as many films out as possible and not really think too much about what goes into them,” said Hudson. “Rather, it’s like, ‘Let’s get three films out for this year and then we can be done and ignore all the cracks we’ve made that don’t entirely link with previous things we’ve established.’”

Inconsistencies in plot lines and character development irk fans who’ve devoted so much time to the franchise. 

Not only is the quantity of Marvel’s releases troubling for long-time fans, but it also deters those who’ve yet to dabble in the MCU.

Ellie Gibson, a junior majoring in marine affairs, is pushed away from Marvel due to the sheer amount of movies.

“Because they are prioritizing quantity over quality, there’s so much to catch up on,” said Gibson. “They just want to keep pushing out more content … and not even stick to the comics.”

Marvel newbies have their work cut out for them if they hope to watch the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” film in theaters with a semblance of understanding. 

Valle provided his input on how Marvel should rectify their quality issue.

“Focus on one specific track. You can’t bring back the X-Men, Fantastic Four and the Avengers all in one year,” said Valle. “Focus on making those movies good. Because if we get another bad Fantastic Four movie, I’m going to lose hope in Marvel.”

 

Aliens and Arbitrary Arcs 

Andres Concha, a senior majoring in psychology and management, raised an important point regarding MCU. 

“People are really tired of aliens,” said Concha.

A contributor to the prior success of MCU productions was the tangibility of themes in our existing world, like evil in New York. 

“What people really like about the ‘Iron Man’ films, which are so classic, is that they were very about that time. In 2008, terrorism was still a really central theme in our country,” said Concha.

Although Thanos is an intimidating force in the Avengers films, there’s something to be said about a hero’s cause that the audience can connect with.

“It’s not like these esoteric threats — it’s man versus man,” said Concha of what makes a compelling villain. “I’m not really relating to the moral message of fighting a big, purple, deformed grape.”

Aliens are beginning to aggravate. So are untimely character deaths. Warning: spoiler alerts ahead.

“I don’t like that they killed one of the few known female characters working in science, who is so smart and unique,” said Gibson of “Thor: Love and Thunder.” “They’re like, ‘We’re giving her cancer.’”

Jane Foster’s death in the fourth “Thor” film tugged at heartstrings. While some Marvel deaths are staged with clear intentionality, not every hero goes out with a bang. Instead, some go out with a dissatisfying resolution to their character arc.

“They killed Natasha Romanoff because they didn’t know what to do with her character,” Gibson said . 

Although Black Widow later received her own title film, some fans believe her plummet off of “Vormir” was not a proper farewell given her longstanding position in the MCU.

 

Avatars are the New Heroes 

The decline of the MCU coincides with the rise of video game adaptations. Professor Rechna Varma, an esteemed producer who teaches creative producing and motion picture studio courses, nodded to superhero fatigue and recent box office successes. 

“We’re seeing ‘Minecraft’ knock it out of the park this weekend. Is that the new milieu? We’re doubling down on IP that’s now video games,” Varma said. 

“A Minecraft Movie,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “The Last of Us” and “Fall Out” are all sensational, box office hits released in the short span of two years. It seems Youtuber cameos appeal to younger generations more than A-list celebrities do.

“Maybe the superheroes are going to go on ice for a little bit because people are living in video game land,” Varma said.

 

To Stream or Not to Stream

In a post-pandemic society, streaming services compete with theatrical experiences. Where does that leave a franchise that profits from communal reaction in the cinema?

“You want to follow the economic structure, the political structure, the technological influence, and then you see and understand clearly what’s happening at the cinematic theater level,” said Varma.

With Disney+ thrown into the mix, many are opting to subscribe to the platform and forgo the theaters. However, Marvel movies are designed for the theatrical experience. There are intentional pauses after characters crack jokes, accounting for an audience’s laughter.

If Disney+ is now the primary method to watch a Marvel movie, does the film have the same emotional impact from the couch that it would in the theater?

 

A Saving Grace? 

“Deadpool had a lot of hype,” said Emil Tamayo, a junior majoring in advertising management.

The success of “Deadpool & Wolverine” may be an outlier, or it may be indicative of a turning point for the MCU. “Thunderbolts,” releasing May 2, will be a testament to Marvel’s future. Will there be a comeback? 

“I don’t even know what that is,”said Tamayo of whether or not he will see MCU’s new “Thunderbolts” movie once it hits theaters.

That might just answer our question. Who knows — maybe MCU will have a redemption arc. Right now, however, they are at the falling action phase of their narrative arc. 

 

words_kelsey conrad. illustration&design_lizzie kristal.

This article was published in Distraction’s Summer 2025 print issue.

 

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